102 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



TEE DIGNITY OF LABOR. 



Lahore est orare. 

 CHAS. W. MURTFELDT, KIRKWOOD. 



A little less than a score of years ago there were assembled in the 

 lecture room of an agricultural college the faculty of the institution, 

 citizens of a neighboring town, farmers of the vicinity and a few gentle- 

 men from a distance, who had been invited to lecture to the young men 

 and maiden students on matters relating to agriculture, horticulture, 

 live-stock growing, dairying and home matters, incident to practical 

 farm life. Among the lecturers was a noted editor of an agricultural 

 journal, who was also an aspiring politician. Your servant also occu- 

 pied a chair, and an hour once or twice to speak his little piece. 



Practically the meeting or assembly was a "Farmers' institute" 

 (editors and others have racked their brains in vain to find a better or 

 more significant name), which, as a matter of course, left the essays or 

 addresses open for discussion. It seemed also the implied design of 

 these institutes to create in the students a love for farm life and rural 

 pursuits, or where this was already present in the minds of the pupils, 

 to fan it into a clear, warming and cheering flame. Imagine the sur- 

 prise of all present when the editor above referred to, in the course of 

 his address, uttered this sentiment, without any qualification : " Labor 

 is degrading, and only degrading,'' reiterating it several times. After 

 the close of his remarks I lost not a moment to challenge his assertion, 

 and for a little we had quite a lively time. Of course the sympathy of 

 the audience was on my side, and I made the best argument at my com- 

 mand. The next year on a similar occasion, and at the same place, 

 many also of the former audience being present, I had the gratification 

 to hear my friend acknowledge his error, and publicly to confess that 

 he was wrong and I was right. Since then he has been the chief ex- 

 ecutive of his state and proved to be a good Governor, but the utter- 

 ance of that sentence has followed him, and no doubt defeated his 

 ambition for a second term, although every predecessor of his had been 

 so honored. Since then he has been an avowed candidate for the same 

 office, but has failed of the nomination. 



A sermon to which I listened not very long ago brought back to 

 my mind the incident and the occasion with such vividness that I was 

 led xo pen this paper and to present it for your cosideration. Woe to 

 the man and to that people who believe in and act upon such an axiom, 

 and think labor a degradation. 



